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*** dx30-85 Health *** aluminum in food and utensils: g82 6/8 30; g49 8/8 16; g47 1/8 22-24; g46 7/3 10; g45 8/15 22; g39 2/22 10-11; g38 4/20 10; g37 8/25 750-752; g37 9/8 771-780; g36 2/12 304; g36 9/23 803-812; g35 1/2 199, 208; g35 1/30 269; g35 2/27 341-343; g35 4/10 440; g35 9/11 793-796; g35 12/4 143; g34 8/29 766-767; g34 9/12 771-779; g34 9/26 803-811; g32 10/26 35-38; g32 11/23 126-127; g31 2/18 338-342; g31 5/13 533-534; g31 7/8 658-661; g31 10/28 54; g30 5/14 527-528; g30 7/23 675-684 |
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Earthdayplans Directory Research |
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*** g82 12/22 p. 10 Frustrated—Where Could I Turn? *** I Joined the Communist Party In 1960 I joined the Communist Party, convinced that the only way to escape from a frustrated life was through setting up a socialist state. I organized unions in several enterprises for workers who were suffering because of low wages and harsh working conditions. Also, I became active in political movements and their struggles. For instance, I joined groups that vigorously demonstrated at American military bases against a nuclear submarine entering Yokosuka. We also engaged in protest marches against the Japan-American Security Pact. In July of 1963 I went back to Nagano Prefecture because of a health problem, but I kept active in the Communist Party. In April of 1966 I got married, but my wife had absolutely nothing to do with communism. As I carried on various activities of the Communist Party, I became aware of some contradictions between what the party should really be and what it was. Commands from the party headquarters were to be obeyed without any reservations. Vigorous discussions were held, but the opinions exchanged were not acted upon by the organization, and in most cases constructive ideas were squashed. Our discussions about freedom and peace were merely words. Mere forced subjection again made me feel the coercion I had experienced in my childhood. I began to wonder, ‘With the way things are now, could the socialist state I desired really be established?’ This question remained unanswered, and my complete trust in the party was replaced with misgivings. However, I could not place my hope in anything else. The old feeling of despair began to grow, and my activity cooled off. Once again I was overtaken by a feeling of frustration. |
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*** yb07 pp. 188-189 Latvia *** JEHOVAH COMFORTS HIS LOYAL ONES During World War II, the small band of Witnesses in Latvia had no contact with headquarters. Still, they kept their hope alive “through the comfort from the Scriptures.” (Rom. 15:4) After the war, in the late 1940’s, the Germany branch finally got mail through to the few brothers in Jelgava, Kuldīga, Riga, and Ventspils. In Kuldīga, a town 100 miles [160 km] west of Riga, Ernests Grundmanis, who had been in the truth for 20 years, received several letters from Germany that truly contained spiritual food at the right time. “In all things,” said one letter, “trust in Jehovah God, our good Father. He will support and strengthen you at the right time.” The letter then quoted 2 Chronicles 16:9: “As regards Jehovah, his eyes are roving about through all the earth to show his strength in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him.” How timely and encouraging such letters were! The brothers took every opportunity to witness informally. For example, Marta Baldone, a masseuse at a health center in Ventspils, preached to her clients, one of whom was Alexandra Preklonskaya (now Rezevskis). Alexandra recalls: “Marta taught me that God’s name is Jehovah, and I came to love that name dearly.” Alexandra’s father, Peter, who was born in 1880, also came to a knowledge of Bible truth. His daughter writes: “Father joined the Communist party before the 1917 revolution and lived in St. Petersburg [called Petrograd from 1914 to 1924 and Leningrad from 1924 to 1991]. However, the outcome of the revolution was not what Father had hoped for, so he handed in his party membership card and was forced to leave the city. He came to Latvia, where I introduced him to Marta. An honest, kind man, Father readily accepted the truth. In 1951 he returned to Russia, only this time as a prisoner for his faith. He died in Siberia in 1953.” |
